Wrench.



C. H. WERT.

WRENCH.

APPLICATION FILED um. 19w.

1 ,27 1,400. Patented ul 2, 191s INVENTOR Z7 WITNYESSES 19 16 26 F1 61? M Arrow UNITED s TEsrATENT orrron.

CHARLES H. WERT, 0F 1 \TEWT( )N HAMILTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

. WRENCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

'j Patented July 2, 1918.

Application filed May 19, 1917.' Serial No. 169,698. i

citizen of the United States, residing at- Newton Hamilton, in the county of Mifiiin and State of Pennsylvania, have inventednew and useful Improvements in Wrenches,

of which the following is a specification." 7

This invention relates to wrenches and especially to wrenches of the quick action type.

The object of the present invention is'to provide a wrench of the above character in which the operating parts are arranged in a novel manner within the handle in order to protect them from injury, the said parts being at the same time so constructed and positioned as to obviate the necessity of cutting away or weakening the shank beyond the handle, thereby adding to the strength and usefulness of the wrench.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists of the following novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a wrench embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an edge view of the same looking at the face of the rack bar;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal central sectional view of the wrench; and

Fig. 4 is a cross sectionon the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Figs. 5 and 6 are detailed views illustrating the reversed pitch of the teeth of the rack bar and the reversed pitch of the teeth of the pawl for cooperation therewith.

Referring to the drawings in detail, like characters of reference denote corresponding parts throughout the several views.

scribed.

Secured to one side of the jaw 14 is a bar 15, which operates within a groove 16 in one edge of a shank 10, the said groove being of suflicient length to permit the bar 15 to be moved therein to adjust the jaw 14 along the shank. The end of the bar 15 opposite the jaw 14 is provided with an inwardly turned angular extension 17 which. is formed with an aperture 18 for the purpose of permitting its movement along the guide rod 19 carried by the handle 12. The handleis chambered as at 20 to provide for the movement of the extension 17 and between this extension and the-endlwall 21 of the chamber there is provided1a spring 22. This spring surrounds the rod19'and acts to nor'mally'close tlie jaws'll'and 14; by forcing the jaw 14 in a direction toward the aw 1 v The handle 12 is formed with a guide groove 23 to receive a bar 15, the said bar being provided with a finger piece 24, which is located adjacent the extension 17 for the purpose of providing convenient means for adjusting the jaw 14. The finger piece 24 operates within a slot 25 formed in the handle 12 and connecting with the guide grooves 23.

In order to hold the jaw 14 in its adjusted position the said jaw has secured thereto upon the side opposite the bar 15 a rack bar 26, which extends within a chamber 27 formed in the handle 12. The rack bar 26 is provided with three rows of transversely alined teeth, the two outer rows 27 being pitched in a direction opposite to the inner or center row 28. Pivoted within the handle 12 is a dog 29, whose end 30 is located in the path'of the teeth 27 and 28, in order to engage said teeth, and hold the jaw 14 in its adjusted position. The dog 29 is pivoted at 30 and is provided with a laterally extending finger piece 31, which extends through an opening 32 provided with a handle so as to be within convenient reach for the operation of the dog. The dog is normally forced into engagement with the teeth of the rack bar by means of a spring 33, so that when it is desired to adjust the wrench it is necessary to press upon the finger piece 31 to release the dog. Upon the release of this dog the jaw 14 will immediately move in a direction toward the jaw 11 under the action of the spring 22, so that the only operation necessary to position the wrench for use is the 15. During this operation the spring 22 is placed under tension, so that the jaws l will 3e immediately'closed by the release of the It is believed that the foregoing description, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings will render the construction, operation and advantages of the invention clear to those skilled in the art. The right isreserved to make such changes in the form and proportion thereof as will properly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed, is: I

1. A wrench comprising in combination a shank, a stationary jaw carried thereby, an adjustable jaw slida-bly mounted on said shank, a handle connected to the shank, reversely pitched rack teeth carried by the movable jaw, a dog pivoted to the handle, reversely pitched teeth also carried by said dog for engagement with the rack teeth car-- ried by the movable jaw to hold the latter against movement in either direction and means located within the handle for urging the jaws to a closed position when the jaw holding means has been released.

2. A. wrench comprising in combination a shank, a stationary jaw carried thereby, an adjustable jaw slidably mounted on said shank, a handle connected to the shank, a rack bar connected at one end to said adjustable jaw and having its opposite end disposed within said handle, said bar being provided with rows of reversely pitched teeth, a dog pivotally mounted in the handle and also provided with reversely pitched teeth having engagement with the teeth carried by the bar to hold the jaws against movement in either direction and means located within the handle for urging the jaws to a closed position when the jaw holding means has been released.

i In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

CHARLES H. WERT.

Copies of this patentmay be obtained for five'cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0." 

